Support platform and package incorporating same

ABSTRACT

A support platform for supporting articles of different sizes is disclosed, the platform having a plurality of groups of means for receiving the articles, each of the groups being able to receive an article in at least two different locations with respect to an edge of the platform. A package is formed by stacking a plurality of platforms having articles placed thereon in a carton.

[ Oct. 16, 1973 United States Patent [1 1 Boyle YYY 555 mm 6668 um flm..mA m mm P m W WW R mm mmm hm m fiBGW M 98 %%W HHHN HG m %N% 8,8,7,F624 792 fl ua uid R E we G m A r K w C m A .1 P m D l N Am E My A MN RS.t mGCm T d HME% TO RPE O m POn m Smh M M H U 836,169 7/1949 Germany206/65 Y [22] Filed: June 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 157,153

Primary ExaminerRamon S. Britts Attorney-James E. Ryder et al.

T C A R T S B A 7 5 30 UN 7 1 58 F' ld fS 2 1 le 0 care 11/59 13 74 Asupport platform for supporting artlcles of dlfferent l 0 3 34 37 7 1139 sizes 15 disclosed, the platform having a plurality of groups ofmeans for receiving the articles, each of the groups being able toreceive an article in at least two [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS different locations with respect to an edge of the platf0 rm. Apackage is formed by stacking a plurality of 206/65 R platforms havingarticles placed thereon in a carton. Prossen 206/65 Y Paffen et 206/65 Y6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 2,444,326 6/1948 Baker et 2,642,183 6/19532,646,166 7/1953 PAIENIEDunr 16 I973 3.765.539 sum 10F 4 42 48 49mvenfor Ec/z/w'n C. Boy/e B y Ryder, Mc/Ju/oy 8 Heffer A ffomeysPATENTEDHCI 16 1973 SHEET 3 BF 4 FIGB r ew fl eyH V08 an Cw A WW 5 PAf/omeys BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES This invention relates to materialpackaging systems and, more particularly, to platforms for supportingarticles of different sizes.

In making spools or cops of fiber or strand material such as threads,yarn, twine or the like, it is common practice to wind the fiber on aconical or cylindrical core or spindle. While the spools are madeavailable in different sizes, the spindles used usually are a commonstandard size and the different sized spools are formed merely bywinding more or less of the strand material around the spindles. Forshipping purposes the spools are mounted on a support platform which isformed with risers or depressions to receive the base of the spindle.Because the different size spools have different outside diameters it isconventional practice to provide a specific platform for each size spoolso that the risers or depressions are properly spaced to receive thesize spool intended for that platform. Obviously this requires thestoring of different platforms and establishing procedures whereby inmass production and packaging of various sized spools the properplatform is chosen and made available at the packaging station.

In order to obviate the need to keep an inventory of different sizedplatforms and to insure the proper selection of platforms for theparticular spools beingpackaged at the time, it is an objective of thisinvention to provide a single support platform capable of receivingspools of different sizes.

It is another objective of this invention to provide packaging forspools of strand material which efficiently utilizes the availablepackage volume and which simplifies the handling and storing ofpackaging materials.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION This invention in one specific form comprises asupport platform having a plurality of groups of projections extendingoutwardly from at least one of its surfaces. Each of the groups ofprojections is capable of receiving an article, such as the base of aspindle, in at least two different locations with respect to the supportplatform edge.' A spindle having a certain amount of fiber wrappedaround it, which shall be called a small spool, is placed upon theprojections nearer the edge of the platform while the spindle havingmore fiber wrapped around it, which is referred to as a large spool, isplaced over the projections further away from the platform edge.

A second group of projections is also provided on the platform surface,the second group being capable of receiving an article in at least threedifferent locations with respect to the same edge of the platform. Thesecond group of projections is aligned with the first group and islocated further away from the edge of the platform than is the firstgroup. In this form, the second group can receive two small spools or asingle large spool. The spacing between adjacent groups of projectionsis such that there will be no interference between spools mounted on theprojections as long as the proper projections are used for theparticular size spool being packaged.

The support platforms are utilized to form an entire package by stackingthe platforms having spools mounted thereon vertically and enclosing thespools and platforms in a plastic bag and paper-board carton.

DRAWINGS The invention along with the objectives and advantages thereofwill be better understood from the detailed description below takentogether with the drawings in which;

FIG. 1 is a partially cut-away perspective view of a package for aplurality of spools of strand material utilizing support platformsformed in accordance with this invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a support platform of this inventionhaving small spools mounted thereon.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same platform shown in FIG. 2 buthaving larger spools mounted thereon.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support platform of FIGS. 2 and 3having no spools thereon and illustrating the spool receivingprojections.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a portion of a support platform formed inaccordance. with a modification of the support platform of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the support platform of FIG. 6showing the locations of large and small spools placed thereon.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a support platform formed in accordance with asecond embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 9 is an elevational sectional view of a plurality of verticallystacked platforms formed in accordance with a third embodiment of thisinvention.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF FIRST EMBODIMENT (FIGS. 1 5) Referring now tothe drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a typicalpackage 10 utilizing support platforms 12 formed in accordance with thisinvention. The particular package 10 illustrated contains five levels ofcops or spools 14 formed by winding strand material such as fibers ontoa cylindrical cardboard or plastic core or spindle 16. A plurality ofspools 14 are placed on each support platform 12 and the loadedplatforms are stacked vertically within a plastic bag, such as apolyethylene bag 18, which is in a paperboard carton 19. The carton isprovided with a tear tape 20 to facilitate opening of the carton.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3 there is illustrated the same supportplatform 12 demonstrating its use for supporting two different sizedspools, namely, small spools 22 (FIG. 2) and large spools 24 (FIG. 3).Naturally, these terms are relative and are used merely to indicate aspool size differential which can be accepted by the same platform 12.In both cases there is good utilization of the surface area of thesupport platform. In the case of the smaller spools 22, the particularplat form illustrated can support four rows of spools, each rowcontaining four spools or a total of 16 spools. In FIG. 3 the sameplatform 12 can support three rows of large spools 24, each rowcontaining four spools for a total of 12 spools. It is clear that thispattern is merely illustrative of one particular arrangement and ispresented herein for the purpose of simplifying an understanding of theinvention.

The support platform 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 and can be seento include three rows of groups of projections, namely a first rowaligned along axis 30 parallel to an edge 32 of the platform 12, asecond row aligned along axis 34 spaced from the first row 30 andparallel thereto and a third row aligned along axis 36 spaced from row34 and parallel thereto. Examining first row 30, there is indicated fourgroups 38 of projections, each group having three projections extendingfrom the surface of the platform. This first group includes a centralprojection 40, a first projection 41 spaced from one side of the centralprojection 40 and a second projection 42 spaced from the opposite sideof the projection 40. The three projections making up the first group 38are aligned along an axis 43 perpendicular to the edge 32 of theplatform 12 and perpendicular to the axis 30.

The projections are configured to enable the base of a hollow spindle 16to be placed over either the first and central projections or the secondand central projections, the first position being indicated by thedotted line 44 representing the spindle 16 of the smaller spools and thesecond position illustrated by dotted line 45 representing the spindle16 of larger spools. It can be seen that the spindle position for thesmaller spools is closer to the platform edge 32 than is the spindleposition for the larger spools. The shape of the projections is designedto accommodate spindles having a circular cross-section and,accordingly, is formed with an arcuate shape. The distance between thesurface of the central projection 40 remote from the platform edge 32and the surface of the projection 41 adjacent to the platform edge 32 isslightly less than the inside diameter of the spindle l6 intended to bemounted thereon. Similarly, the distance from the outer surface of thecentral projection 40 closer to the platform edge 32 to the outersurface of the projection 42 remote from the platform edge 32 isslightly less than the inside diameter of the spindle l6 intended to bemounted thereon. In this manner a spindle mounted in either position 44,45 would be precluded from lateral motion along the plane of theplatform. It should be noted that the inside diameter of the spindlesused for both the smaller and larger spindles are equal and the spoolsize differential is caused by the amount of fiber woulnd thereon.

The second row 34 includes four sjecond groups 46 of projections, eachgroup having three projections extending upwardly from the surface of;the platform 12. Each second group consists of a central projection 47,a third side projection 48 spaced from one side of the centralprojection 47 and a fourth side projection 49 spaced from the oppositeside of the central projection 47. The three projections 47, 48 and 49making up the second group 46 are aligned along the axis 43 and,consequently, are aligned with the first group 38.

As with the first group of projections 38, the projections of the secondgroup 46 also are configured to enable the base of the hollow spindle 16to be placed thereon. The central projection 47 is designed to receivethe spindle of the larger spools 24 while the side projections 48, 49are designed to receive the spindles ofthe smaller spools 22. Toaccomplish this, the dimension of the central projection 47 in thedirection along the axis 34 is slightly less than the inside diameter ofthe spindle 16 and the surfaces of the side projections 48, 49 facingthe central projection 47 are spaced from the central projectionsufficiently to avoid interference with a spindle placed over thecentral projection 47.

The side projections 48, 49, each being configured to receive thespindles of the smaller spools 22, have a dimension in the directionparallel to the axis 34 slightly less than the inside diameter of thespindle 16. As can be seen the projections 48, 49 form a portion of acircle but are provided with a flat face 50 to accommodate a spindlemounted on the central projection 47. The circumference of projections48, 49 preferably is greater than 180 in order to eliminate lateralmovement of spindles mounted thereon.

It can be seen by comparing FIGS. 2 and 3 that when large spindles 24are mounted on the platform only a single spindle is mounted on thesecond group 46 by placing it over the central projection 47 while whensmaller spools 22 are mounted on platform 12 two spindles can be mountedon the second group 46 by placing a spindle over each of the projections48, 49.

The third row 36 is provided with four groups 51 of projectionsidentical to the first group 38 and therefore the projections formingthis group will not be described in detail. The third group 51 is alsoaligned with the axis 43 so that all three groups 38, 46 and 51 are inalignment. As with the first group 38, the third group 51 canaccommodate a single smaller spool 22 mounted over the central and sideprojection nearest the platform edge 52 at the same time that the secondgroup 46 has two smaller spools mounted over the projections 48, 49.Alternatively, the third group 51 can also accommodate a larger spool 24mounted over the central and other side projections at the same timethat a larger spool is mounted over the central projection 47 of group46.

Each of the rows 30, 34, 36 having four groups aligned therealongprovide the spool capacity illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

MODIFICATION OF FIRST EMBODIMENT (FIGS. 6 AND 7) The platformconfiguration illustrated in FIGS. 2 through 5 makes efficient use ofthe platform surface, especially in the direction along the axis 43. Bycomparing FIGS. 2 and 3 it can be seen that whether the large or smallspools are mounted on the platform there is a minimum amount ofunutilized space in that direction. However, since the projection groups38, 46, 51 are aligned along axis 43, when the smaller spools 22 areplaced on the projections there is some wasted space between the smallerspools in the direction parallel to the axes 30, 34, 36. This wastedspace is caused by the fact that the projections are aligned along theaxis 43 and no provision is made for the fact that the smaller spoolshaving a smaller outside diameter, can be located closer together in thelateral direction (parallel to axes 30, 34, 36) than can the spindles ofthe larger spools.

More efficient use of the platform can be made with the modified groupof projections 53 illustrated in FIG. 6. The design of the group ofprojections 53 is such that the portion of the group 53 which receivesthe larger spool 24 is basically the same as that described above withrespect to the embodiment of FIG. 4; however, the side which is intendedto receive the smaller spools 22 is configured so that the central axis54 of the smaller spool is offset with respect to the central axis 55 ofthe larger spool. This permits smaller spools 22 to be located closer tothe edges 56, 57 of the support platform 58 than are the larger spools24. To accomplish this offset relationship grooves are provided throughthe projections 60, 62, 64 which correspond to the projections 40, 42,44 respectively of the projection group 38 shown in FIG. 4.Specifically, the projection 62 is provided with a groove 66, theprojection 60 is provided with a groove 68 and the projection 64 isprovided with a groove 70. By virtue of the grooves 66, 68, 70 thecentral axis of the smaller spool can be offset toward the edge 56 ofthe support 58, the grooves accommodating the base of the spindle 16.The dotted line 72 represents the base of the spindle 16 of a smallerspool while the dashed'line 74 represents the base of the spindle of thelarger spool 24.

Each of the projection groups 53 along an axis 76 perpendicular to theedge 56 of the support platform has the same configuration allowing thesmaller spools mounted on each of the groups to be located closer to theedge 56 and closer to the adjacent group of projections than would bepermitted by the configuration illustrated in FIG. 4. To permit thisclose spacing for the smaller spools an additional groove 78 may beprovided, if needed, near the end of the central projection 60 remotefrom the edge 56 to accommodate a portion of the spindle base of thesmallest spool mounted on an adjacent projection group 53.

Generally aligned with the projection group 53 in a direction parallelto' support platform edge 56 is a second projection group 80corresponding to group 46 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4.Projection group 80 includes a central projection 81 to receive thespindles of larger spools 24. Therefore, the central projection isaligned with the projections 60, 64 of the first group 53 so that thespindles mounted thereon are equally spaced from the platform edge 56.

Projection group 80 also includes side projections 82, 83 spaced equallyfrom opposite sides of the central projection 81. The side projectionsare intended to receive the spindles of smaller spools 22. Consequently,these projections are aligned with the pattern formed by the grooves 66,68, 70 of group 53 so that spindles mounted thereon are equally spacedfrom the platform edge 56. In other words, the central axes 54 of thesmaller spools placed on the projections of the group 53, 80 are spacedequally from the platform edge 56 and are closer to that edge than arethe central axes 55 of the larger spools placed on the projections ofthe groups 53, 80. The dotted lines 72 illustrate the base of a spindle16 for smaller spools 22 while the dotted line 74 represents the spindlebase of a larger spool 24. It can be seen that the configuration of theprojections forming the group 80 are such as to allow the mounting oftwo smaller spools 22 simultaneously on the side projections 82, 83 or,alternatively, one large spool 24 on the central projection 81.

The platform 58 is shown only partially in FIG. 6 and it is intendedthat the platform can include additionally one or more rows ofprojection groups.

FIG. 7 shows the outlines 72, 74 for the spindles of the smaller spools22 and larger spools 24 respectively so that their relative positionswith respect to the support platform edges 56, 57 can be appreciated. Itwill be seen that the platform 58 will accommodate smaller spools (fourrows of five spools each) or 12 larger spools (three rows of four spoolseach). Of course the number of spools illustrated is merely fordiscussion purposes and there is no intended resemblance to the actualsize and capacity of a support platform formed in accordance with thisinvention.

SECOND EMBODIMENT TO ACCOMMODATE DIFFERENT SIZED SPINDLES (FIG. 8)

The embodiments described above and illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7 arepredicated on spools of different sizes formed about spindles having acommon size. The support platform of this invention can also be formedto accommodate spindles of different sizes, FIG. 8 illustrates such aplatform 84 having three different types of projection groups whichcorrespond to the groups 38, 46 and 51 of the embodiment shown in FIG.4. A first projection group 85 includes a central member 86, a firstside projection 87 on one side and spaced from the central sideprojection 86 and a second side projection 88 spaced from the oppositeside of the central projection 86. The curvature and spacing of thecentral projection 86 and side projection 87 are such that a smallspindle 89 can be mounted easily over these projections. The second sideprojection 88, intended to receive a larger spindle 90, is larger insize and is configured to conform to the inside of the larger spindle90. The second side projection 88 is spaced further from the centralprojection 86 than is the first projection 87 so that the dimensionrepresented by dimension line 92 is approximately slightly less than theinside diameter of the larger spindle 90.

The projection group 100 spaced from and aligned with group 85 also isformed to accommodate different size spindles. The group 100 includes acentral projection 102 having a longitudinal dimension 103 slightly lessthan the inside diameter of the larger spindle 90. The side projections106, 108 are configured to approximate a portion of the interior of thesmaller spindles 89 preferably to conform to more than l80 of thecircumference of the spindles so that lateral motion of the spindles 89in all directions is precluded. The spacing between projections 106, 108is such that two spools formed on the spindles 89 can be mounted onprojection 106 and on projection 108 simultaneously without interferingwith one another. The spacing between the projections 106, 108 and thecenter projection 102 is such that a spool formed on a larger spindlecan be mounted on the centralprojection 102 without interfering with theprojections 106, 108 which do not have a spool mounted thereon. Toprovide this dimensional requisite instead of the projections 106, 108having complete circular cross sections, they each are provided with aninwardly facing flat face 109 to avoid interference with the largerspindle 104.

THIRD EMBODIMENT (FIG. 9)

As was shown in FIG. 1, a plurality of spools 14 are stacked verticallyand are separated and supported by the platforms 12. The platformsdescribed above have the projections extending from one surface thereof,the opposite surface being flat. As is illustrated in FIG. 9, thisinvention also contemplates the formation of projection groups 112, 114on opposite sides of a support platform 116. The projections 112 on theupwardly facing surface of the platform 116 receive the base of aspindle 16 mounted thereon and the projections 114 on the lower surfaceof the platform 116 receive the upper end of a spindle which is mountedon a platform 117 immediately below the platform 116. This arrangementprovides greater structural stability of the overall package and doesnot place reliance upon the weight of the spools supported on theplatform or the pressure produced by the tight fitting carton 19 toprevent lateral movement of one platform or spool with respect toanother. Of course the lowest and highest platforms preferably only haveprojections on one surface thereof so that they present a smoothinterface with the polyethylene bag 18 and paperboard carton 19.

The support platforms can be formed of many different materials such assheet metal, paperboard, or other materials which either can be formedwith the projections or which can have the projections affixed thereto.Preferably the support platforms are fabricated from a plastic such aspolystyrene so that the projections can be molded as an integral part ofthe platform. Because the platforms can be molded the many groovesrequired for a configuration such as is described above and illustratedin FIG. 6 can be easily formed. Furthermore, while the platformsdescribed above are formed with projections from a flat surface, it isclear that similar beneficial results can be obtained by forming spindlereceiving depressions or grooves in a flat surface, the grooves beingformed in accordance with the patterns and requisite described above.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by letters patent ofthe United States is:

l. A support platform adapated to support articles of different sizeswhich have hollow bases of the same interior dimensions, the platformhaving a plurality of first groups of projections, each of said firstgroups including a first central member, a first side member spaced fromone side of the first central member and defining a first clearancetherebetween, a second side member spaced from the opposite side of thefirst central member and defining a second clearance therebetween, saidfirst clearance having a shape and dimension to receive a portion of thebase of said article when said article is mounted simultaneously oversaid first central and second side members, said second clearance havinga shape and dimensions to receive a portion of the base of said articlewhen said article is mounted simultaneously over said first central andfirst side members, said article base being closer to an edge of theplatform when mounted over said first side member and said first centralmember then when mounted over said second side member and said firstcentral member.

2. A support platform as defined in claim 1 wherein a first plurality ofsaid first group of projections are aligned along a first axis parallelto said edge of the platform, and wherein a second plurality of saidfirst group of projections are aligned along a second axis perpendicularto said first axis.

3. A support platform as defined in claim 1 including a second group ofprojections, each of said second group of projections include a secondcentral member, a third side member spaced from one side ofthe secondcentral member defining a third clearance therebetween, a fourth sidemember spaced from the opposite side of the second central member anddefining a fourth clearance therebetween, the third clearance having ashape and dimension adapted to receive a portion of the base of saidarticle mounted at one time on the third side member and at another timeon the second central member, the fourth clearance having a shape anddimension adapted to receive a portion of the base of said articlemounted at one time on the fourth side member and at another time on thesecond central member.

4. A support platform as defined in claim 3 wherein a plurality of saidfirst group of projections are aligned along a first axis parallel tosaid edge of the surface and wherein a plurality of said second group ofprojections are aligned along a second axis parallel to and spaced fromsaid first axis.

5. A support platform as defined in claim 1 wherein the platform has afirst plurality of groups on one surface thereof and a second pluralityof groups on a sec ond surface thereof, the second surface beingopposite the first surface.

6. A support platform as defined in claim 1 including two sets of saidgroups, a first set on one surface of said platform and a second set onan opposite surface of said platform.

1. A support platform adapated to support articles of different sizeswhich have hollow bases of the same interior dimensions, the platformhaving a plurality of first groups of projections, each of said firstgroups including a first central member, a first side member spaced fromone side of the first central member and defining a first clearancetherebetween, a second side member spaced from the opposite side of thefirst central member and defining a second clearance therebetween, saidfirst clearance having a shape and dimension to receive a portion of thebase of said article when said article is mounted simultaneously oversaid first central and second side members, said second clearance havinga shape and dimensions to receive a portion of the base of said articlewhen said article is mounted simultaneously over said first central andfirst side members, said article base being closer to an edge of theplatform when mounted over said first side member and said first centralmember then when mounted over said second side member and said firstcentral member.
 2. A support platform as defined in claim 1 wherein afirst plurality of said first group of projections are aligned along afirst axis parallel to said edge of the platform, and wherein a secondpLurality of said first group of projections are aligned along a secondaxis perpendicular to said first axis.
 3. A support platform as definedin claim 1 including a second group of projections, each of said secondgroup of projections include a second central member, a third sidemember spaced from one side of the second central member defining athird clearance therebetween, a fourth side member spaced from theopposite side of the second central member and defining a fourthclearance therebetween, the third clearance having a shape and dimensionadapted to receive a portion of the base of said article mounted at onetime on the third side member and at another time on the second centralmember, the fourth clearance having a shape and dimension adapted toreceive a portion of the base of said article mounted at one time on thefourth side member and at another time on the second central member. 4.A support platform as defined in claim 3 wherein a plurality of saidfirst group of projections are aligned along a first axis parallel tosaid edge of the surface and wherein a plurality of said second group ofprojections are aligned along a second axis parallel to and spaced fromsaid first axis.
 5. A support platform as defined in claim 1 wherein theplatform has a first plurality of groups on one surface thereof and asecond plurality of groups on a second surface thereof, the secondsurface being opposite the first surface.
 6. A support platform asdefined in claim 1 including two sets of said groups, a first set on onesurface of said platform and a second set on an opposite surface of saidplatform.